Amirudin to sue Sanusi for alleged defamation

PETALING JAYA: Caretaker Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari will take legal action against Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor over his speech made in Jitra, Kedah, recently.

Amirudin said he had examined the speech of his Kedah counterpart made during the Jelajah Mega PN Best Sayangi Kedah Sejahtera held at Dataran Darul Aman, in Jitra.

Claiming that the speech was slanderous, Amirudin said it was an attempt to divert attention away from the rare earth elements (REE) scandal.

Amirudin firmly denied all the allegations made by Muhammad Sanusi, one of the top leaders of Perikatan Nasional.

“In fact, I have detailed this matter at length during a (Selangor) state assembly meeting last year and the Parliament meeting on March 1, 2023.

“I have held a discussion with my lawyer and will start the process for legal action against Muhammad Sanusi next week for slander,” he said.

It is believed that Amirudin was referring to Muhammad Sanusi’s allegations about a Selangor Menteri Besar Incorporated project that would have caused millions of ringgit in losses to the state.

Meanwhile, Berjaya Land Bhd has denied all allegations made by Muhammad Sanusi related to the development company pertaining to the Selangor Maritime Gateway (SMG) project.

Berjaya Land group chief executive officer Syed Ali Shahul Hameed said the claims in Muhammad Sanusi’s speech at the event in Jitra on Aug 2 were “politically motivated and slanderous”.

He added that the company is taking immediate action by lodging a police report and pursuing legal measures to protect its rights in the matter.

“Berjaya Land has noted that the speech by Sanusi contains plainly false, untrue, unwarranted, unsubstantiated, malicious and mischievous statements made against the company, directly and/or indirectly pertaining to the SMG Project,” he said in a statement later yesterday.

Syed Ali Shahul added that Muhammad Sanusi’s remarks were designed to put both Berjaya and the Selangor government in a bad light by implying questionable dealings by both parties in relation to the project.

“We feel it is imperative to set the record straight by offering precise and verified information,” he said in the statement which also included point-by-point clarifications to the claims made by Muhammad Sanusi.

Berjaya Land also called on the public and media to continue supporting “genuine efforts” of the company and its Selangor state joint venture partner in the rehabilitation of the Klang River.